I walked behind this guy and his two staffy dogs on my way to work yesterday morning. I was impressed that the two little dogs stayed right by his heels, even without a leash. When he paused to adjust his shoe, the dogs paused, too. What you can't see is that he had a tall can of Tyskie beer in his left hand -- at 7:45 in the morning.
I remember when I was in Spain back in 1994 seeing a guy drinking a beer at breakfast. It blew my mind. I don't know if it's a European thing or an alcoholic thing, but either way, I couldn't do it.
Also, Olga couldn't tag so faithfully along without distraction. Off-leash, she'd be stopping every two feet for a sniff, or she'd see a cat on the other side of the street and be out in traffic in seconds. When it comes to walking, she has no discipline.
Work involved a lot of physical labor, once again, though less so yesterday than earlier this week. I was so dazed by the time I got home that I could barely bring myself to have a conversation with Dave. I just had to sit quietly for a while on the garden bench. Thank goodness we only have one more week of school, and most of that is without kids.
Someone in the neighborhood had a party yesterday evening. We heard cranking music such as Daft Punk's "Get Lucky," and after a while I walked down the hill to check out the high street -- I thought it might have been coming from one of the pubs or even from an outdoor event on West End Green. But it was life as usual down there, so it must have been coming from one of our neighbors' back gardens. We eventually heard people cheering and applauding, so apparently someone was celebrating. More evidence that things are getting back to normal, although England's Covid numbers are up and it looks like the final step of reopening -- originally scheduled for June 21 -- is now going to be delayed.
Nonetheless, I'm plowing ahead with my Florida plans. My stepsister has offered me the use of her extra car during my stay. THANK GOODNESS! Car rental for the full two weeks would have cost me somewhere in the neighborhood of $2,000 -- more than twice as much as my flight. Prices are insane right now. It looks like I may stay in St. Pete with them for a couple of nights while my stepbrother-in-law (?) runs a foot race there on the 4th. We'll see how it all unfolds. I am a leaf in the wind, going wherever circumstance carries me.
Did you know that it is against the law to walk on a pavement ( next to a " designated road"... whatever that means exactly) with your dog off the lead? There is a hefty fine I think £500 or £1000.
ReplyDeleteEnjoy the hot weather.....you are probably looking forward to it ,being from hot parts, but I shall be hiding in the coolest room !!
I did not know that! I see it fairly often. I guess, as with many mild violations in Britain, the perpetrators feel like they won't be challenged or cited and are willing to take the risk.
DeleteAnd Mrs. Kravitz didn’t phone the police?
ReplyDeleteI’m always surprised by the early morning alcohol consumers. Many Scandinavians are so excited to get cheap booze that they start the minute they get out of bed. Morning beers aren’t uncommon, but most of our friends have a noon rule.
Wishing you a less difficult week of hard labor, success with your travel plans.
Those roses are breathtaking!
The idea of alcohol in the morning just grosses me out. Even a mimosa is a stretch, and that's made palatable by orange juice!
DeleteLeaf in the wind - blown back to the school library day after day...
ReplyDeleteWe've come too far
To give up who we are
So let's raise the bar
And our cups to the stars
She's up all night 'til the sun
I'm up all night to get some
She's up all night for good fun
I'm up all night to get lucky
No one ever said it was Shakespeare. LOL
DeleteDon't be scandalized. There was a time when CHILDREN were given beer to drink because water was of poor quality/contaminated.
ReplyDeleteAnd, yes, to have a beer early-ish is a mainland Europe (man) thing. Elevenses. Whereas in Britain (think football) they start getting smashed (with the whole purpose of getting smashed) before they go out in the evening. Well, what's the gutter for if not to look up and at the stars?
U
"Well, what's the gutter for if not to look up and at the stars?" I love it.
DeleteI've heard that alcohol consumption used to be much higher per capita than it is now, partly because, as you said, alcohol was seen as a safer alternative to dirty water. I've heard of elevenses but I didn't know that could be booze -- I thought it was just a mid-morning snack?!
DeleteEuropeans do drink especially beer at early hours, even with breakfast. Maybe not now but even public transport workers in Germany would have beer during their lunch break, a no questions asked sackable offence here. There was a gorgeous young muscly blond Euro guy who we used to buy flowers from at a local market and at about ten in the morning he would take a break for breakfast and he always had beer. Not that I was taking much notice...not not all.
ReplyDeleteRoses the colour of salmon. Whatever, lovely.
It does make travel easier if you don't have really firm plans.
There were a couple of lines I hadn't picked up in Get Lucky. Thanks YP, and it is Saturday evening here, a night for getting lucky for you perhaps. I can't be bothered.
It used to be much more common in many industries and professions to drink on the job. Witness "Mad Men"!
DeleteYou took a chance taking that photo, if he had turned around he may have got nasty, but great pic.
ReplyDeleteI never mind picking my roses for indoors as often they last longer than when on the bush.
Have a good weekend both of you.
Briony
x
I was ready to tell him about Olga and be all enthusiastic about his dogs, if necessary, but he never turned around!
DeleteYour roses are gorgeous! I'd definitely bring them indoors more often to enjoy them. I'm not a fan of early morning drinking. Tea or coffee would be a better way to start one's day. Just my opinion, of course. Enjoy your day, hugs, Edna B.
ReplyDeleteI'm with you. Nothing beats coffee.
DeleteI am having my morning coffee as I read the usual blogs! Then I go to ice water and, when it is in the 80s and 90s here, then it's a cold beer at lunchtime!
ReplyDeleteOh ... I love the color of that rose!
Lunchtime makes perfect sense. By then my stomach could handle beer!
DeleteI'm surprised no one has pointed out that the gent with the beer may be a third shift worker. It's possible that early morning is when he gets off work. Of course, that may not be true at all.
ReplyDeleteYes- bring your roses in! Put them where you will see them most often. Enjoy their beauty.
Yeah, that's definitely true -- this could be his after-work walk with his dogs. I also considered that he might have simply been out all night, but he looks more like a worker than a partier.
DeleteOur little dog Ozzo is really good at staying by your side when he walks with you through the house but outside, all bets are off.
ReplyDeleteI love a good beer, but in the morning? I dunno about that!
Have you blogged Ozzo? We need pictures!
DeleteIt is a surprise to see someone drinking a beer early in the morning. I like Ms Moon's possible explanation.
ReplyDeleteI cut a little bouquet of roses the other day and photographed them. I thought of you.
Did you post the photo? Did I miss it? I have had a hard time staying on top of blogs lately!
DeleteI didn't post the photo anywhere. Just a little bouquet in a small crystal vase my father's mother bought for my parent's first wedding anniversary in 1948.
DeleteNot only drinking beer in the morning but on the street. Here you cannot consume in public and until recently not in parks.
ReplyDeleteDrinking on the street doesn't seem to be a problem in the UK. In fact, it's very common for people to stand on the sidewalk outside pubs and drink. Nothing like the US, where open-container laws are everywhere!
Deletesome well trained pups. Minnie would be more like Olga.
ReplyDeletewe had a visiting glass artist who was giving a workshop at a local studio stay with us for the duration. he would have 3 or 4 beers for breakfast; not because I'm an alcoholic, he told us, I just like the taste. uh huh. he was an alcoholic. I think he died of liver failure.
That's a lot of beer so early in the day! I'm not surprised it took a toll on his health.
DeleteI am glad your trip to Florida is coming together. It will be here before you know it!
ReplyDeleteI'm glad, too! It freaks me out a little when I think about how soon it is.
DeleteI called a patient's name in the waiting room one day at 9am. He was not supposed to be eating or drinking and he's drinking a beer, in the waiting room. That was a first.
ReplyDeleteAnd those roses are lovely.
Wow. Maybe he was nervous about his exam or procedure? LOL
DeleteThe cost of rental cars has been a big topic in the news lately. They are saying that it has nearly doubled and in some places tripled. You are lucky to have someone who can lend you a car.
ReplyDeleteThose roses are gorgeous!
Beer for breakfast....I can't imagine.
It's crazy. I was shocked when I saw the price tag. And that was without the insurance, which I always have to buy as well.
DeleteBeer in the morning is a hard pass for me.
ReplyDeleteYeah, me too! Bleah!
DeleteI admire how that guy's dogs don't need a leash. My dog definitely needs a leash. When I spent two summers in Paris I noted that in cafes/bars many French people would order a glass of red wine and a hard boiled egg in early morning. I think Biden's wild spending is going to cause a dangerous level of inflation here in the USA. That is shocking the cost for you of renting a car.
ReplyDeleteWell, I'll disagree with you about Biden being the cause -- from what I understand there's a shortage of computer components used in cars because production lines have been broken by Covid. I think rental car companies dumped a lot of their fleets when no one was traveling and they haven't been able to immediately replace those vehicles.
DeleteAt least you're not a "candle in the wind". 😁
ReplyDeleteIf I were, I wouldn't be here!
DeleteThe only person I've know that had beer in the morning had one in the afternoon as well, in fact more than one, taken from the stock of Special Brew cans in his desk.
ReplyDeleteIt's amazing how well some people can function despite consuming alcohol all day! (And some don't function all that well.)
DeleteYour roses are lovely! I should cut some of ours when they gear back up again (the peach colored one is "on a break" right now).
ReplyDeleteDuring open enrollment I was the same as you - I came home from work & just had to sit in silence & then go to bed!
Ours are still in their first flush, so it's peak bloom time right now.
DeleteReally lovely roses.
ReplyDelete